Apparatus for mixing and administering medicines



Feb. 10, 1959 A. B. SALISBURY, JR 2,872,924

APPARATUS FDR MIXING AND ADMINISTERING MEDICINES Filed July 23, 1956United States Patent APPARATUS FOR MIXING AND ADMINISTERING MEDICINESAlvin B. Salisbury, Jr., Fair-born, Ohio, assignor to Ankh Laboratories,Inc., Fairborn, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 23, 1956,Serial No. 599,500

7 Claims. ('Cl. 128-216) This invention relates to apparatus for mixingand administering medicines of the type comprising two or moreingredients such as a liquid and a powder which are stored out ofcontact with each other but are mixed together preparatory to theirapplication through a hypodermic needle.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel apparatus of the abovecharacter which, as compared with similar prior apparatus, is simpler,involves fewer manipulations, and reduces the likelihood of infectiondue to contact of the needle with unsterile surfaces.

A more detailed object is to store the ingredients in separate chambersor compartments which are brought into communication with each otherthrough the hypodermic needle for the mixing operation while the needleremains covered to avoid contact with unsterile surfaces.

A further detailed object is to form one chamber as a part of thehypodermic syringe itself and the other chamber in an ampoule secured toa sheath for the needle in a novel manner to enable the two chambers tocommunicate with each other through the needle without removal of thelatter from the sheath.

The invention also resides in the novel and simple construction of thesheath and the ampoule as integral parts of a single tubular member.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following detailed description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which Figures 1, 2 and 3 are perspective viewsshowing successive steps in the formation of a preferred ampoulesheathconstruction embodying the novel features of the present invention.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views of opposite ends of the sheath and the ampouleshown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the completed ampoule and sheathwith a syringe in a storage position preparatory to use, some pointsbeing broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 with the syringe in position for themixing operation.

As illustrated in the drawings, the invention is particularly useful inthe mixing and administering of medicines of the type comprising twoingredients 10 and 11 which are segregated from each other in separatechambers or compartments 12 and 13 prior to their use and are mixedtogether for final application through the hollow needle 14 of ahypodermic syringe 15. In accordance with the present invention, one ofthe chambers is a partof the syringe and the needle 14 thereof isutilized to establish communication between the chambers for mixing ofthe two ingredients. While the latter may comprise two liquids, they areshown in this instance as a liquid and a powder, the liquid beingcontained in thesyringe chamber 13 while the powder is disposed in thesecond chamber 12 which is a part of an ampoule 16.

Generally stated, the improved apparatus contemplates performance of themixing and administering operations ingredients into contact with eachother in the same chamber and the latter is agitated to effect themixing. Where the liquid 11 is contained in the syringe chamber 13 asshown in Fig. 6, it is first expelled through the needle into theampoule chamber 12 where the mixing takes place and the mixture isreturned to the syringe chamber for the injection. In the case where theliquid is contained in the ampoule chamber initially as shown in Fig. 8,it is transferred through the needle and into the syringe chamber whereit is mixed with the powder and remains until time for ejection.

After the mixture of the two ingredients 10 and 11 is located in thesyringe chamber 13, the needle 14 is with- 'drawn from the ampoulechamber to break communication with the latter while remaining incommunication with the interior of the syringe chamber. During the stepsof establishing communicating between the chambers, transferring of theliquid through the needle, mixing, and withdrawing of the needle, theneedle is covered and thereby maintained out of contact with unsterilesurfaces. As an incident to its withdrawal from the ampoule chamber, theneedle is uncovered and thus prepared for the final step of ejection ofthe mixture from the syringe chamber and through the needle.

The above steps are carried out simply by covering the needle 14 with aprotective sheath 17 having one wall 18 in common with the ampoulechamber 12 and adapted to be punctured by the needle while the portionof the latter outside of the chamber remains substantially enclosedwithin and protected by the sheath. To simplify the construction of thesheath and the ampoule chamber, it is preferred to form the two asintegrally'connected parts from a hollow tube 19 (Fig. l) of a suitablethermosensitive material such as a polyvinyl plastic adapted for bondingof opposed wall portions 19 of the tube together under the applicationof heat and pressure.

In the formation of the sheath 17 and the ampoule 16, the tube 19 isflattened and the opposed wall portions 19 are brought together underheat and pressure along a line extending substantially from one end ofthe tube to the other between the side edges of the tube to form acenter seal 20 which divides the tube into a sheath section and anampoule section as shown in Fig. 2. The sheath is tapered throughout itslength and is closed at the smaller end, such closure being effectedherein by a cross seal 21 between the center seal and the adjacent edgeof the flattened tube. Another cross seal 22 extends from the centerseal to the opposite edge of the tube to close one end of the ampoulesection adjacent the open end of the sheath. The other end of theampoule section is left open to receive the ingredient to be containedtherein and then is closed by a cross seal 23 (Fig. 6), the portion ofthe original tube adjacent the open end of the sheath and beyond thecross seal 22 preferably being trimmed off as shown in Figs. 3, 6, and7. That portion of the center seal 20 between the cross sealsconstitutes the wall 18 which is common to the sheath and the ampoulechamber and is pierced by the needle for communication between thechambers.

At its open end, the sheath telescopes over a neck por-' tion 24 of thesyringe 15 supporting the needle 14 and projecting rigidly from a wall25 defining the syringe chamber 13. In this instance, both the sheathand the Patented Feb. 10, 1959 3 neck portion are of circular crosssection, the neck tapering at its outer end and fitting tightly in theopen end of the sheath to seal the same. The chamber wall 25 preferablyis molded integrally with the neck portion from a suitable thermosettingelastic resin such as polyethylene and, after the molding operation iscylindrical in shape with one end open. This end is closed by a heatseal 26. In this instance, the needle 14 is inserted in a passagewayformed in the molding operation and is sealed within the neck portion bythe application of heat and pressure after the insertion. While theinner end of the needle may be separated from the syringe chamber 13 bya puncturablc wall, it is shown herein as projecting into the chamber(Fig.6).

After the chambers 12 and 13 have been charged with the medicineingredients 1% and 11 and closed under sterile conditions and while theneedle 14, the interior of the sheath 17, and the neck portion 24 remainsterile, the neck is inserted in the sheath to close the latter. Theparts remain in this condition until the ingredients are to be mixed.Then, the operator grasps the syringe along the neck with one hand andthe exterior of the sheath 1? and the ampoule 16 with the other hand andpulls the same apart to withdraw the neck portion at least partiallyfrom the sheath. While the major portion of the needle remains enclosedby the sheath and thereby protected from contact with unsterilesurfaces, the sharpened outer end of the needle is projected through thecommon wall 18 between the sheath and the ampoule chamber to establishcommunication between the chambers through the needle. The syringechamber then is collapsed by squeezing the wall 25 to force the liquid11 through the needle and into the ampoule chamber.

After both ingredients 1t and 11 are in the ampoule chamber 12, theoperator, without changing the position of his hands, then shakes themto mix the ingredients. With this completed, the squeezing pressure onthe syringe wall 25 is relieved to permit the wall to resume itsoriginal shape and create a vacuum drawing the mixture out of theampoule chamber and into the syringe chamber 13. The sheath 17 and theampoule 16 then are pulled away from the syringe to withdraw the needlefrom the common wall 18 and, as an incident thereto, to uncover theneedle for insertion into the skin of the patient and ejection of themixed ingredients from the syringe chamber by collapsing the wall 25thereof.

It will-be apparent that, due to storage of one of the ingredients inthe syringe chamber 13 with the needle 14 utilized to establishcommunication between the chambers for the mixing operations, theoperator may retain his hands on the syringe and the ampoule and therebyperform such operations with few manipulations. With the sheath 17secured to the ampoule 16, the needle 14 may be projected through thecommon wall 18 of the two while remaining protected throughout itslength by the sheath. The likelihood of accidental intermixing of theingredients due to external impacts on the exterior of either chamberduring shipping and storage is small in the case of the modifiedconstruction because the common wall 18 separates the needle from theampoule chamber. In the preferred construction shown in the drawings,such dangers are even less because the common wall is located along theside of the sheath away from the needle point. The preferredconstruction is also advantageous by virtue of the ease of its formationfrom the flattened tube 19 of heat scalable material. The syringe andthe ampoule sheath being formed inexpensively of resinous material maybe disposed of economically after a single use. In addition to thestorage and mixing of segregated medicine ingredients, the novelapparatus described above may be used to administer liquid medicinewhich should be kept out of contact with the metal of the needle priorto use, the syringe chamber in this case being empty and the liquidbeing contained in the sealed ampoule during the storage period.

harassm- Iclaim as my invention: I V I l. The combination of, a syringecomprising a collapsible body of flexible material defining a fluidchamber and having a neck portion with a hollow needle supported in andextending outwardly beyond the neck portion, an elongated tubular sheathclosed at one end and having its other end open, the open end of saidsheath receiving and telescoping closely with said neck portion toenclose said needle within the sheath, and an ampoule of puncturablematerial connected integrally with and extending laterally from anintermediate portion of said sheath between said ends thereof andproviding a fluid tight chamber, said intermediate portion of saidsheath being puncturable by the projecting end of said needle forestablishing communication between said chambers through the needlewhile the portion of the latter beyond said neck portion remainssubstantially covered by the sheath against contact with unsterilesurfaces.

2. For use with a hypodermic syringe having a hollow needle and amedicine chamber, a flattened tube of heatsealable plastic materialhaving opposed wall portions joined together by a generally straightseal puncturable by the syringe needle and extending longitudinally ofthe tube to divide the same into a sheath section and an ampoulesection, one end of said sheath section being closed with the other endopen to receive the syringe needle, and cross seals joining said wallportions together to close opposite ends of said ampoule section, theportion of said straight seal between said cross seals being puncturableby the syringe needle for communication of the chamber with the interiorof the ampoule section through the needle while the latter remainscovered in the sheath section.

3. For use with a hypodermic syringe having a hollow needle and amedicine chamber, a flattened hollow tube of heat-scalable plasticmaterial having opposed wall portions connected by a generally straightheat seal puncturable by the syringe needle and extending longitudinallyof the flattened tube to divide the latter into an ampoule section alonga first side edge of the tube and a tapering sheath section along theother side edge, a seal joining said wall portions at the smaller end ofthe sheath section to close such end, a first cross seal between saidwall sections extending transversely of said straight seal and from thelatter to said first tube edge and closing one end of said ampoulesection, the other end of said ampoule section adjacent said closedsheath end being open to receive a medicine and adapted for closure by asecond cross seal between the opposed wall portions.

4. For use with a hypodermic syringe having a hollow needle, a flattenedtube of heat scalable plastic material having opposed wall portionsjoined together along a generally straight heat seal puncturable by thesyringe needle and extending longitudinally of the flattened tube todivide the latter into an ampoule section along one side edge of thetube and a tapered sheath section along the other side edge, said wallportions at the smaller end of said sheath section being joined togetherto close this end and, at the larger end being open to receive thesyringe needle and one end of said ampoule section being closed with theother end open to receive a medicine and adapted for closure by a crossseal.

5. For use with a hypodermic syringe having a hollow needle, a flattenedtube of flexible material having opposed wall portions joined togetheralong a generally straight seal puncturable by the syringe needle andextending longitudinally of the flattened tube to divide the latter intoan ampoule section along one side edge of the tube and a sheath sectionalong the other side edge, said wall portions at one end of said sheathsection being joined together to close this end and, at the other end,being open to receive the syringe needle and said ampoule section havingone end closed and its other end open to receive a medicine and adaptedfor closure by a cross seal.

6. For use. with a syringe comprising a collapsible body of flexiblematerial defining a fluid chamber and having a neck portion with ahollow needle supported in and extending outwardly beyond the neckportion, an elongated tubular sheath closed at one end and having itsother end open to receive and telescope closely with said neck portionto enclose said needle within the sheath and an ampoule of puncturablcmaterial connected integrally with and extending laterally from anintermediate portion of said sheath between said ends thereof andproviding a fluid tight chamber, said intermediate portion of saidsheath being puncturable by the projecting end of said needle forestablishing communication between said chambers through the needlewhile the portion of the latter beyond said neck portion remainssubstantially covered by the sheath against contact with unsterilesurfaces.

7. For use with a hypodermic syringe having a hollow needle, a flattenedtube of flexible material having opposed wall portions joined togetheralong a generally straight seal puncturable by the syringe needle andextending longitudinally of the flattened tube to divide the latter intoan ampoule section along one side edge of the tube and a sheath sectionalong the other side edge, said wall portions at one end of said sheathsection being joined together to close this end and, at its other end,being open to receive the syringe needle and said ampoule section havingat least one end closed and adapted, when the other end is closed, toform a fluid tight chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,666,434 Ogle Jan. 19, 1954 2,724,383 Lockhart Nov. 22, 1955

